Falls are a major concern for older adults and for those that love and care for them.
They are a leading cause of injury for adults older than 65, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than a third of those who fell reported needing medical treatment or being benched from activity for at least a day.
What can those most vulnerable to falls do to better protect themselves?
Yaejin Moon, assistant professor of exercise science in Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, is working to answer this question.
Moon’s research focuses on improving mobility and reducing fall-related injuries in people with neurological disorders and older adults. It aims to understand and prevent these injuries by analyzing real-life fall videos using artificial intelligence, and will soon be further explored in publication in the journal Scientific Reports, currently under review.
Here, Moon answers five questions below about why the elderly are more at risk of fall-related injuries and shares tips for safe-falling techniques:
Source: Syracuse University